Thursday, April 21, 2011

World Renowned Poetess Jessica Care Moore!! Wednesday, April 27th,2011

The Mahogany Urban Poetry Series is pleased to announce that we have Jessica Care Moore coming into our midst this Wednesday!! See bio,photos,and info below...make SURE you come out for this event!!
Special event price is $10!! She also will have books for sale!!

(photo by Corey Reese)

jessica Care moore is an internationally renowned poet/ publisher/ activist/ rock star/ playwright and actor. She is a five-time Showtime at the Apollo winner; has featured on hip-hop mega-star, Nas' "Nastradamus" album and was a returning star of Russell Simmon's HBO Series, Def Poetry Jam.

After her legendary win on the Apollo stage, jessica Care moore was approached by several book publishing companies, but in 1997, she paved her own path and launched a publishing company of her own – Moore Black Press. Which has released her first book; "The Words Don't Fit In My Mouth," and several thousand copies. A few years later, she followed up with her second collection of poetry and essays, "The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto."

Moore Black Press proudly published famed poets, Saul Williams and Shariff Simmons; Def Poetry Jam's co-founder, Danny Simmons, NBA basket-ball player, Etan Thomas, activist and poet, Ras Baraka and former Essence Magazine editor and author, Asha Bandele.

This bold and electric artist has shared the stage with the late Ossie Davis, CeCe Winans, Gregory Hines, Anthony David, Norah Jones, Amiri Baraka, Patti Labelle, Roy Ayers, Mos Def, The Last Poets, Sonia Sanchez, Talib Kweli, Nikki Giovanni, Steve Harvey, Maya Angelou and many others. In 1999, she was honored as Woman of the Year by the Harvard Black Men's Forum.

She is among the few poets who can attract more than the usual eclectic artsy crowd; bringing people from all backgrounds to fall captivated by her lyrics, verses and the universal raw truths in her poems. This Detroit bred natural born entertainer fuses a rock band with hip-hop and poetry. Her band, Detroit Read (pronounced "red"), fuses soul rock 'n roll sounds inspired by Prince, Betty Davis, Janis Joplin, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye. The performance is a combination of heart-pounding rock, acoustic guitar, house and raw hip-hop mixed with jessica's soulful raspy voice as lead vocalist.

jessica Care moore voices herself as a strong warrior in the fight against AIDS. She has performed for the United Nations World AIDS Day Commemoration two years in a row. She also organized the successful Hip-Hop-A-Thon Concert in (San Francisco), which helped increase AIDS education in the Black and Latino Bay-Area communities. She has performed at several AIDS WALK Opening Ceremonies in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Florida and Atlanta.

Her innovative and inspiring take on literacy among our nation's youth landed her opportunities to produce several art programs, concerts, and workshops for the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, and worked as a facilitator for The Langston Hughes National Poetry Circle Project.

As an internationally respected author and poet she has rocked stages all around the world from Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Berlin, Paris, Holland, England, Scotland and many others. jessica Care moore teamed up with Impulse recording artist, Antonio Hart on the album "Here I Stand," and collaborated with Big Cat's rap artist, PBT, and also featured on The Last Poets Tribute Album.

Her talent does not stop at poetry, jessica featured in "Hugh's Harlem Dream" (STARZ), and starred in the award-winning independent film, "His/Herstory." She also captured the lead in the independent film, Under The Gun, which co-stars Umi and M1 of Dead Prez. She had a cameo appearance in the award-winning film, "Slam," and is one of the stars of the documentary, "Slamnation!" She is the producer, writer and star of the poetry and music themed show, "SPOKEN!" aired on the Black Family Channel, produced in association with Moore Black Press and directed by CEO, Robert Townsend. She is one of the featured artists in the PBS special; "I'll Make Me a World."

She is the playwright and author of "There Are No Asylums for the Real Crazy Women," a one-woman stage production that reveals the true life story of Vivienne Eliot, the late first wife of famous poet T.S. Eliot. Fusing her contemporary poetry, hip-hop culture, feminist thought and language, jessica offers a moving and innovative portrayal of an English woman born in 1888. She also authored and performed in the one-woman stage play "AlphaPhobia," a semi-autobiographical sketch about a female poet who believes the alphabet is trying to kill her.

Her literary work has received wide exposure, and her poems featured in several major anthologies including; "A Different Image," (U of D Mercy Press, 2004), "Abandon Automobile," (WSU Press, 2001), "Listen Up!" (Random House, 1999), "Step Into A World," (Wiley Publishing, 2001), "Role Call" (Third World Press, 2002), "Bum Rush The Page: A Def Poetry Jam" (Crown Publishing, 2001).

She is the youngest poet published in the "Prentice Hall Anthology of African American Women's Literature," by Valerie Lee, alongside literary greats, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler Maya Angelou and many others.

Jessica was also featured in Essence, Blaze, Source, Vibe, African Voices, Bomb, Mosaic, Good News, Savoy, One World, BE, Ambassador Magazine and others. The poet/actors return to the "D" has been met with much buzz, gracing the covers of The Metro Times, African American Family, The Detroit News, and The Detroit Free Press.

This talented powerhouse was commissioned by The Apollo Theater to debut her new multi media solo theater show, God is Not an American. Her show sold out the Apollo Theater Salon Series in April, and after a return from touring in France and Amsterdam, she will bring the show back to NYC for encore performances in Brooklyn and Harlem in July 2009.





Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Mahogany Urban Poetry Series Presents: 1st Wednesdays!!

We have a live band for singers,poets,mcees...every 1st wed of the month from now on!! holla!!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Mahogany featuring Xplicit from Saint Louis!!


Join us on Wednesday, jan 5th at Queen Sheba Restaurant as we welcome Xplicit from St.Louis...This man is highly recommended by the who's who of the poetry scene..I took this write up from http://maatology.blogspot.com/2010/03/feature-bitz-poet-xplicit-spittin-biz.html

The STL scene has its share of spoken word venues and poets to grace the mic for those venues.

In the words of STL spoken word artist Corey Black said on Facebook about the recent spoken word outbreak:

" Its way too many open mic nights in St. Louis. The poetry scene is gonna be so lame by the end of spring. Too oversaturated. Im gonna start my own open mic night, everyone else has one.".....

As with any trend, you have your originators and your copiers which can cause the oversaturartion. In the spoken word game, it’s no different. But it’s best to be a creator than a follower. One of those creators is local poet, college grad, math and stats wiz and businessman Xplicit. Since 2007, he has been blazing the poetry scene with his dynamic, rhythmic flow and creative wordplay becoming one of the “Young Princes of Spoken Word Poetry” in St. Louis.

Forward three years to 2010 and one will see that this brash and handsome, Bloomington, Illinois native, and former college professor is moving full speed with his poetry career becoming a mover and shaker in the promotions game as well by co-creating the spoken word promotions company Soul U, and three spoken word events: the weekly Soul Stages and the “on hiatus” monthly Soulace and Soul Live. 



CD art for his upcoming CD,Spoken Acid






He is also gearing up for the upcoming release of his second spoken word CD, Spoken Acid (his first wasRealize and Relax released in 2008) first with a listening party April 7 at Twisted Olive on Delmar and a release party at Soul Stage April 11 at STL Finest Bar and Grill.

Xplicit—who shortened his name from Xplicitly Intelligent in 2007—started recording his newest CD last September while juggling his day job teaching math and statistics at a city college in St. Louis. But in December, he made the hard decision to quit teaching and walked on faith to do poetry for a living.

“When I stopped teaching, I had to come up with a product,” Xplicit said. “ It was time for a new CD.”

He also talked about his process recording Spoken Acid.

“As a poet, you gotta have inspiration to write,” Xplicit said. “My inspiration is living life and people talking about their experiences. I wanted this CD to have a different vibe than other CDs. It has a down to earth feel to it, more like a mixtape CD using industry beats. It’s also a studio CD where I had to go into the studio and record.”




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgeE6vZa7iI



Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dec 22nd featuring Bay Area Poet Jason Bayani!!!




Come check us out dec 22nd as we welcome back to our stage, Mr. Jason bayani!! Jason is a veteran of the Bay area slam scene, and he has rocked the Mahogany stage several times in the past. It's been years since he's been to Sacramento, and by special request, we are bringing him back to our stage.....here's some quick info about this poet:


List of some of my many accomplishments:

15 time 3rd place finisher in several track meets.

Spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2008 from my living room to the TV with the volume off. The crowd loved it.

Three time nominee for Jason Bayani's "Best Dude Ever" award. 2nd most nominated person -- God.

Achieved a 10th degree black belt in Brazilian Joo Jitzu (not to be confused with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) under the tutelage of some guy who calls himself Chad Gracie (I do have a suspicion that he might not be an actual Gracie).

Won the award for "Best Actor" by my mom when she came to see me in a 4th grade play.




1704 Broadway (queen sheba) 9pm  $5 cover







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msQMMoRmHV0




Monday, December 6, 2010

December 8,2010 featuring Bernovem!!

Celebrate your great week with a great event!! This Wednesday we are featuring Bernovem!!




Bernovem

Born and raised here in the town, Bernovem (burr-no-vuhm) is a burgeoning artist who just recently emerged on the scene. What began as penning prose for personal release has now become a calling to share his energy with everyone. With words no longer encaged – a poet has been discovered… So let s/he who has ears hear as he formally introduces himself and his talents to Sacramento. Wednesday December 8th!
Prepare to be moved!

Bernovem Mahogany Urban Poetry Series
email: freemyrhyme@yahoo.com 9:00pm $5 cover
or: freeyourrhyme@yahoo.com 1704 Broadway
(916) 706-8293 Queen Sheba Restaurant
Sacramento, CA 95818

Monday, September 20, 2010

Poetry Slam September 22nd (This Wednesday)

This is gonna be short and Sweet...come on out this Wednesday night and win some money!

9pm....Queen Sheba Restaurant
$5 cover

we are having a poetry slam this wednesday, and the top poets will win a chance to be on the Sacramento International Poetry Slam Team for 2011!!

and

win somecash too!!

www.poetryslam.com for rules and info..
the audience picks the winner!!

1704 broadway,sac ca 95818

Monday, September 6, 2010

Comedian G King features at Mahogany September 8th!!

Mahogany is the launch pad for poets,singers,comedians....every Wednesday Night we open our stage to the area's top performers..this year we are trying to get creative with our feature schedule..come check out Comedian G King in his feature this Wednesday!! He has blessed our mic several times, and our crowds have left in tears.....






9pm  1704 Broadway,Sacramento 95818
$5 cover...all ages